


Sutter Texas

by mobettasway



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Richonne - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-06-06 23:41:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6774961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mobettasway/pseuds/mobettasway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is an AU no walkers set in a small town in the big ole' state of Texas. To tell this story our favorite characters are going to have a complete makeover…don't shoot! Character relationships have changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rick dragged his tired body into the formal dining room of his family's expansive ranch. His brothers Shane and Daryl watched him exchanging knowing glances and smirks. "Rick, did you forget what time breakfast is served, son?" Their father, Herschel asked.

"No sir, I did not," Rick replied his thick Texas drawl laced each syllable as he spoke. "It won't happen again." Hershel insisted their family shared breakfast and dinner together. He used mealtimes to talk to connect with them, and they all knew it meant a lot to the older man so they made it a point to oblige him this one request.

"You and Lori had a late night?" Shane questioned, smiling at his younger brother.

Narrowing his gaze at his brother, Rick replied, "Mind your own business, Shane."

The younger of the Green boys, Daryl snickered, "Who did you catch her with this…"

"Shut up!" Rick seethed. The last thing he needed was hearing another lecture from their daddy about how Lori Stevens was wrong for him.

"Can you please tell me what you see in…"

"Daddy, Lori and me weren't together last night. We broke up. I was at Lucille's with Glenn and Tyreese.

The news of their breakup drew everyone's undivided attention. "It's about time" Daryl mumbled never the one to hide his dislike for the tall skinny female who had it her selfish head that she would become a member of their family.

"Hi, all! Daddy, I'm sorry I'm late. The girls and I stayed out longer than we planned last night catching up with Michonne," Maggie the youngest and the only Green daughter announced.

Hershel's face lit up at the sight of his daughter. Looking at her was like looking at his beloved late wife again and it warmed his heart to see Maggie becoming her own woman but having so many traits of her mother. "How is Michonne?" he asked sincerely interested in the young woman he knew was better suited for his son.

The sound of her name sent a chill through Rick's entire body. Michonne was back home. She had been gone for 2 years and he'd counted every day that they'd been apart. When the opportunity for her to study art abroad presented itself, she was going to pass up the chance so she could stay home to be with Rick. He knew she would resent him later if she didn't go, and neither of them was keen on a long distance relationship, so he set her free to experience life outside of the town of Sutter, Texas population 5,000 and some.

Breaking up with the love of his life had sent Rick into a tailspin of drinking and chasing women for a few months. After a pregnancy scare, with some random girl and his daddy threatening to disinherit him, he got himself together and poured all of his time into their family ranch, The Rolling Green, with his brothers.

The Rolling Green ranch was the envy of the small town, and the Green siblings were the most sought after singles in town. Except Maggie, having 3 roughneck brothers and the man who owned most of Sutter for a daddy made most guys scared to talk to her. "She's great on her way to visit Crossbow," Maggie announced. No one was surprised Michonne would be visiting, but they all doubt it was just to see her horse.

Rick's head snapped up in the direction of his little sister. "Chonne's coming here?" he breathed. Maggie nodded knowingly. In an instant, Rick bolted from the table and out of the dining room.

"Was it something I said?" Maggie asked laughing.

Shane threw his cloth napkin at her, "pretty sure it was you little punk," he cackled.

"Ya'll cut it out!" Hershel demanded. Your brother was in a bad place when she left. I don't want to see him like that again, and I expect the three of you to keep an eye out on him."

"Yes, sir." The trio complied fighting to contain their amusement but failing.

Rick ran to his room and shaved making sure to put on the after-shave Michonne liked him to wear. Grabbing his cowboy hat, he hurried out of the huge house and drove down to the stables to start work. By the time Shane and Daryl made it to the stables, he had paid all of the invoices and was helping the ranch hands unload bales of hay that had been delivered late the day before.

"I'm taking Daryl with me to repair the fence over on the south end of the ranch," Shane announced.

"How 'bout you ask me if I wanna go with you," Daryl shot at his oldest brother.

Even though Shane found Rick's reaction to Michonne's homecoming comical, the last thing their brother needed was Daryl hanging around to witness the reunion between him and the love of his life. "I ain' ask," Shane snapped. "Gon' and get the tools."

"I swear you ain' the boss of me!" Daryl argued before he went into the storage room to get the tools they needed.

Rick nodded at Shane his appreciation. The older of the two stepped closer to his younger brother and lowered his voice. "Don't be a selfless douche bag this time. Get her back and don't let go. A blind man can see ya'll are meant for each other."

"What if she's moved on?" Rick asked.

"Serves your stupid ass right for letting her go in the first place," Daryl quipped, returning with the tools and shoving them in Shane's chest.

"Watch ya' mouth boy," Shane chastised.

"Shut the hell up," Daryl pouted, marching to the jeep and jumping in propping his feet up on the dashboard.

"I swear Imma punch his lil' annoying ass in the throat one of these days."

Rick shook his head at his brothers laughing. All of the wind escaped his lungs when he saw Maggie and Michonne walking towards the stable door. He drank in the sight of her in a pair of cut-off shorts that were too short for anyone but him to see, a white tank topped with a long sleeved plaid shirt that she'd claimed from him years ago, and her favorite pair of cowboy boots. Her locks were longer and her legs were as long as and chocolaty as he remembered.

Shane slapped Rick on his chest to draw him out of his private thoughts before running over and swooping Michonne up in his arms spinning her around. "Hey, girl! Welcome home!"

"Whoa! Hey, crazy man!" Michonne laughed heartedly.

"Put her down Shane, so I can get a hug!" Daryl gripped running over to them.

Michonne hugged the younger Green and kissed him on his cheek, "dude, you have gotten fine!" she teased, causing him to blush.

"Getting"? I've been fine," he joked pulling her into another hug.

The other ranch hands greeted her while Rick stood in the stable entrance gawking. Michonne finally made her way over to him, "Hey cowboy," she smiled pouring her brown eyes into his blue eyes with her hands stuffed in her back pockets for fear they would find their way into his hair.

Rick took a step closer to her, invading her personal space, "welcome home, baby." He cupped her face with both his hands and looked for a sign she didn't want what he was about to give her. When he didn't see any resistance there, Rick put his lips on hers and kissed her like a starving man.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because of the different pairings the possibilities are endless. This chapter is a hodge-podge overview of everything that is going on in this small town. I really hope ya'll like it. There isn't a lot of Richonne in this chapter, but our favs will be the central focus overall.

Chapter 2

Barbara watched from the large kitchen through the French patio doors. Seeing her daughter with her lifelong friend, Sasha Williams, lounging by the pool, brought back so many memories of her childhood. Fondly, she remembered how her late husband cut down the trellis on the side of the house to stop Rick Green from climbing in Michonne's room at night. The problem was, Rick was in the middle of climbing up the thing when he had taken his chainsaw to it. Andre Logan was determined his daughter wasn't going to marry a roughneck like him or Rick, but nothing he did could keep them apart. Eventually, he gave up trying to kill Rick and resolved to clean his gun whenever he knew the young man would be at their home. Michonne didn't help matters by teasing her daddy for having the cleanest gun collection in all of Texas.

Sasha and Michonne offered Barbara huge smiles when she walked out of the house, carrying a tray of lemonade. "Miss Barb, please tell me that's your famous lemonade!" Sasha asked quickly sitting up to pour her a glass.

"It is," Barbara smiled, sitting the tray on the patio table. "Missy, I have a pot roast in the oven. Keep an eye on it for me. I have to run into town for a bit."

"Yes, ma'am, and thank you for the lemonade," Michonne replied, taking the glass Sasha offered her.

"Your mom is the sweetest," Sasha exclaimed.

"Yeah, she is," she sighed. "After my daddy died, I was a mess. I couldn't focus on anything and was drifting, but she stood strong. She and Rick helped me find my way back."

"Have you seen him?"

Michonne glared at Sasha incredulously, "like Mags didn't tell you."

"Okay, but I've been waiting all day for you to tell me about the kiss."

"It was a kiss, Sasha, dang! What can I say about a kiss?"

"I dunno. Maybe it got you all hot and bothered. Did it make you want to rip his clothes off and ride him like he was Crossbow? Girl say something!"

Michonne lifted her sunglasses and glared at her friend for a moment, shaking her head. "Who are you and who let you out amongst the rest of us?"

"Shut up and just tell it. Does he still make your panties…"

"Sasha!"

"What? Don't pretend you two didn't go at it every chance ya'll got." An exasperated sigh and a shake of her head was all Michonne would give her friend. "You're evil for not telling me the intimate details of you and Rick's sex life."

"Who's sex life?" Daryl asked, leading the pack out of the house.

"Where in the hell did ya'll come from?" Sasha demanded, seeing Daryl followed by Shane and Rick.

"Housekeeper let us in," Shane replied, stripping his shirt off before diving into the pool.

"Where's Mags?" Michonne asked. Rick lifted one of her legs and sat down, placing it across his lap, which placed him between her legs where he loved being.

"Horse shopping," Daryl replied checking Sasha out in her yellow string bikini. His mouth watered, "Where's the beer?"

"Pool house," Michonne answered her gaze now on Rick. "What have you been up to today, cowboy?"

"Trying to hide those scratches you put on his back," Shane yelled from the pool.

Michonne gasped and she looked at Rick for confirmation. "Yeah it's pretty bad," he chuckled as she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I'm sorry."

"He ain't complaining," Daryl joked, running to the other side of the pool to get some beers.

"Mich, you're having a party and didn't invite me?" A beautiful blond standing in the patio doors called out, interrupting the others playful banter.

Tapping Rick's shoulder for him to let her up, Michonne then stood and went over to the young woman and escorted her out of the house. "Everyone, this is or was my roomie in Europe, Andrea. Andrea, this is Rick, Sasha, that idiot in the pool is Shane, and our town cutie pie, Daryl, just went into the pool house to get some beer. Andrea flew in late last night."

Shane in all of his masculine glory pulled himself out of the pool showing off his six-pack and well-defined arms formed from a lifetime of ranch work. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Did you just call her 'ma'am'?" Daryl asked, walking up behind them before he started snickering. "You're so full of shit."

"Shut up," Shane growled at his brothers who were laughing hysterically at him.

"It's nice to meet you," Rick stated directing his attention back to Michonne. His eyes cut into her making her blush under his gaze, as she knew he was thinking of what they shared the night before. He worked like a hundred men to finish all the chores that needed to be done, so he could meet her at the Rolling Green guesthouse. Michonne had told him she knew of his drinking and tail chasing after she left. They talked about it and her lack of a love life during their separation and without any hesitancy vowed not to be a part again. The last two years were their past, and they would focus only on their future.

MEANWHILE IN DOWNTOWN SUTTER

Barbara Logan waited patiently in the checkout line of the local drugstore. Lori studied the beautiful woman standing regally in the aisle reading the label of whatever product she held in her perfectly manicured hand. Michonne very much took after her mother, she thought. They breezed about as if the world belonged to them, everyone else was there by their say so, and living in a small town really magnified that for Lori.

Sutter was divided down the middle. The families on the east side were lower middle class or dirt poor. Whereas the families on the west side were upper middle class or filthy rich.

The Logan's were an oil family worth more money than she or most people could dream of amassing. Their position in Sutter was high up like the Green family, and what the Green's didn't own, the Logan's did. Lori's entire life took a backseat to Michonne's. Their birthdays were two days apart, which meant if Lori wanted anyone to even come to her parties, she would have to wait until after Michonne's party. The baker would be too busy making Michonne's cake and anything else her mother ordered for the occasion to take any other orders, and parents would spend their money buying the town's favorite girl a gift and not one for the town's whore. It was an act of kindness that they let their precious kids even attend Lori's celebrations at all.

Anything Michonne wanted she got, and Lori coveted; head cheerleader, homecoming queen, prom queen, valedictorian, and Rick Green – until last year. She had Rick as much and as often as she could. However, he had ended it saying they weren't right for each other when Lori knew it was because of his father.

Mr. Green didn't think a girl who had no idea who her father was would be good enough to carry the Green name. The one and only time Rick invited her to join his family for dinner he ended up rescinding his offer, giving her a lame excuse that his family had other plans for that night. When she pressed him to reschedule, he said he would let her know, and that was a year ago.

"Hi, Ms. Barbara," Lori chimed, offering her a sweet smile.

Barbara turned around from browsing the items on the shelf to see Lori standing before her. "Well Lauren, how are you?"

"It's Lori," she corrected. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Forgive me, Lori. I'm well. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I heard Michonne was home."

Immediately, a warning bell went off in Barbara's head. She knew this girl didn't like her daughter and was trying to get her hooks into Rick. She recalled Hershel threatened to send Rick to Siberia to get him away from Lori. "That's right," Barbara replied with a challenging glare and a sweet smile.

"Well… I… umm… hope to see her soon. It was nice running into you. If you need any help finding anything, just let me know." Lori stammered unnerved by the woman's nice nasty attitude towards her. She scampered off to finish her shift.

Barbara whipped her smartphone out of her designer purse and pressed the number 3 on her speed dial. "Hey BB," the smooth deep voice greeted her.

"Hershel, can you meet me for lunch?"

"I'm with Maggie looking at a horse. Let's meet at the inn for an early dinner."

"Give my Maggie a hug for me, and I'll see you later."

"Will do, and wear that yellow dress I like."

"Hush your mouth, you old pervert," Barbara whispered, looking around as if someone could overhear him.

"Bye hon," Hershel laughed loudly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the positive reviews, bookmarks, and kudos. Lori is going to do what jilted lovers do, but I am bringing that with a twist. Expect a brief mention of some WD characters and others to be woven into the plot. With that said, I hope you enjoy. This chapter is a fluff piece to move the story forward.

Chapter 3

When Hershel text his sons that he wouldn’t be joining them for dinner because he was having dinner with a friend, Rick took the opportunity to celebrate Michonne’s homecoming. With Maggie’s help, he planned a small dinner party for their circle of friends in the private dining room at the inn. Shane decided not to bring anyone, hoping Andrea would be alone. Daryl didn’t hesitate when Sasha asked him to pick her up. Rick wanted to surprise Michonne, so he told her he was taking her out so that they could officially celebrate her being home. Michonne was overwhelmed at the gesture when they entered the dining room to find everyone there for her. She turned her face and tucked it into Rick’s neck until she had better control of her emotions.

After dinner, they sat around the table drinking and sharing stories with Andrea about what it was like growing up together in Sutter. She and Michonne shared their many wild adventures in Europe. “Remember that time Rick pissed Chonne off and somehow… neither will say what happened... but he ended up coming home naked after the Founder’s Day barbecue?” Shane howled, laughing uncontrollably just thinking about his brother coming down Hwy 94 stark naked.

“In my defense, Chonne was just plain evil back then,” Rick squeezed Michonne’s hand placing kisses along the back of it.

“Evil? Pfft.” Michonne scoffed.

“Ladies, help me out with this one. What would ya’ll have done? Loverboy here sends me a note to meet him at the boathouse on the other side of this here lodge.”

“Wait, I never sent you a note. I got a note from you saying to meet you there and to have my clothes off,” Rick injected with a confused look on his face.

“No Rick. First, why would a 14-year-old girl send you a get naked note? You sent me a note saying how much you loved me and how you couldn’t wait to see me,” Michonne argued.  
The fit of laughter coming from Daryl commanded everyone at the table’s attention. “I wrote them,” he admitted and doubled over laughing. “Both of you were too stuck on stupid to admit how ya’ felt about each other, so I helped you out.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Rick snapped. “I was standing there with my 15-year-old frank and beans all shriveled up.” Everyone erupted in laughter, shedding tears from the sheer humor and the image.

Michonne was floored by the new detail. “I thought you were a disgusting and was only after one thing! That’s why I bolted.”

“You didn’t just bolt. You took my 3-wheeler and took off.”

“How was I supposed to know you’d managed to stash your clothes on it?” Michonne argued.

“You took his clothes?” Andrea asked dabbing at the tears in her eyes.

“She sure did,” Rick scoffed.

“Not intentionally! He scared me! I spent the rest of my early teen years looking at men wondering if they all looked like Rick.” More uncontrollable laughter filled the room. “I couldn’t look my daddy in the eyes for weeks after that,” she added.

Only Rick noticed the solemn look that briefly found its way across Michonne’s beautiful face. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her cheek letting her know non-verbally that he knew what she was feeling at that moment. “So ya’ll can imagine how I looked peddling her purple mountain bike down the road in all of my glory,” he stated to lighten her spirits again.

The others continued to laugh gasping for air. “Oh my gosh! I remember that bike! It had hot pink streamers in the handlebars,” Sasha injected, which made everyone laugh even harder at the image of a naked teenaged Rick riding a girl’s bike.

“When Deputy Axel drove by I thought I was going to jail. He slowed his cruiser down and asked if I was alright. I said ‘yes sir’ and that rascal drove off. Didn’t offer me a ride home or nothin’.”

“So let me see if I have this straight,” Andrea started taking a sip of wine trying to collect herself after Rick’s tale. “Shane, you and Rick are the same age? How’d that happen?”

“We were born 11 months apart?” Shane nodded in agreement. “And Daryl is a year younger than Rick.”

“Yeah, and Shane thinks he’s the boss of every damn body,” Daryl grumbled as he shuffled his body around in his seat after getting a hint of Sasha’s perfume.

“Stop all that damn cussing,” Shane snapped.

“Daryl, Chonne, and Sasha grew up together, and Maggie is the baby of the group,” Rick said.

“I’m 21. I’m not a baby,” Maggie snapped still trying to control her laughter.

“Chonne graduated a year early so even though she was our age, she graduated with Rick,” Sasha explained. “

“So Maggie, where’s your beau?” Andrea asked, breaking the one hard and fast rule the ladies of the group had. Never speak about Maggie’s love life in front of her father or brothers.

“I’m too busy finishing school and working with daddy,” she lied. She and Sasha exchanged quick glances that Michonne and Andrea noticed, but they didn’t say anything.

“I gotta take piss,” Daryl mumbled, standing up from the table.

“Nice manners,” Shane said shaking his head. As the oldest, he constantly felt he needed to keep Rick and Daryl in line while they constantly gave him their butts to kiss. The battles between the Green boys were epic but paled in comparison to some of the brawls they’d had with other men around town in their much younger years.

“I’m gonna go to the powder room to take a leak. Is that better ma?” Shane shook his head again disbelieving his brother’s crassness. He was trying to make an impression on Andrea, but Daryl was goading him into a fight. He settled on giving him a middle finger, and the younger of the two made his way out of the private room into the large dining room. He smiled at the other diners as he passed their tables but halted his stride, when he came upon his dad and Michonne’s mom making goo-goo eyes at each other. He quickly turned around and went back into the private dining room with the others.

“Damn, man, that was the fastest piss in history,” Rick chuckled.

Sasha looked at him and studied his face. He was ghost white and appeared to be stunned. “Daryl, what’s wrong?” she demanded.

The sound of her voice snapped him back. “Oh, um…nothin’. I… my stomach feels weird,” he fumbled for words to satisfy her nosiness.

Sasha knew he was lying, but didn’t want to press him in front of the others. “Well, go take a leak and then take me home. You’re my date remember?”  
This time instead of Daryl taking his, ‘all eyes on me because I’m a Green’ walk through the tables he scampered the long way around the main dining room to avoid their folks seeing him. His beer consumption made caused his release to take longer than normal. He was rushing to wash his hands when Hershel walked into the men’s room.

“Well, I didn’t know you were gonna be here tonight,” Hershel greeted.

Pretty sure, Daryl thought. “Yeah, ummm… Rick got the private dining room for a welcome home dinner for Chonne.”

“Why didn’t ya’ll tell me or Barbara?”

“Well… umm… it was just us you know. Her friends.”

“Oh! I see,” Hershel chuckled. “I’m having dinner with Barbara. We’ll stop in to speak in a few minutes.”

Daryl couldn’t get the way his daddy and Miss Barbara were staring at each other out of his head. “Daddy is there something going on between you and Miss Babs?” he decided to just come out and ask instead of assuming.

“She’s a beautiful lady, and I enjoy her company and friendship.”

Nodding his head, Daryl knew not to press any further, but he also knew that his father was a master at telling the truth in the shadow of omission. “Okay. See ya’ later, then. Sasha’s ready to go.”  
Hershel perked up at hearing who his son was with because he loved Sasha dearly. Like Michonne, she was quick to call bullshit when she saw it. Her daddy had been the Green’s attorney since he and Hershel returned to Sutter after college and lifelong friends. “You’d be smart to lock that one down, son.”

Daryl laughed. “Well, she sees me as a brother, so that’s gonna be hard to do.”

“Hard ain’t impossible.” The son studied his father for a moment nodding in agreement wondering if there was a hidden message in that statement for his dad as well. A little later, Hershel escorted Barbara to the private dining room so they could greet the others. Daryl watched the others and no one seemed shocked that the pair was together, but the older couple was no longer giving each other the take me now looks they were throwing at each other before.

After the party Rick and Michonne returned to the guesthouse at the Rolling Green, they faced each other lying in bed bathed in the dark room by the moonlight shining through the windows. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered taking his hand and gently gliding his finger down the bridge of her nose,” Michonne responded with a blushing smile. He reached under his pillow and pulled out a small velvet box. “I bought this when you left,” he started, opening the tiny box to present her with a French Pavé Crown platinum diamond engagement ring.”  
A gasp escaped Michonne’s lungs. “Rick,” she breathed, trying to gather her thoughts from seeing the size of the diamond. “So you just knew I’d say yes?” she smiled up at him absorbing the love she saw in the blue orbs staring back at her.

Rick immediately became solemn. “No. I just knew I’d never let you go again.”

Tears poured from her chocolate colored eyes and she inched closer to him so that her bare breasts were pressed against his well-defined chest. “Yes, Rick. I’ll marry you.”


	4. Rules of Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the follows and kudos! Your support means a lot, and inspires me to continue writing.

“Jackie!” Barbara breathed into her phone. “We’re short five guest tables and the sweetheart table.” The owner of the town’s party rental supply shop placed the frantic woman on hold. She returned to the call, apologized profusely for the mix-up, and promised to deliver the remaining tables to The Rolling Green personally. “Thank you so much!” Barbara sighed.

Returning her attention to the clipboard in her hand, she didn’t notice Hershel walk up behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, “I love it when you’re bossin’ folks around.”

She tilted her head so he had better access to the area of her neck he deemed his play area. “You are too old to be acting like this,” she giggled, leaning against his solid frame.

“You like it,” he teased gently tugging on her earlobe with his teeth.

Barbara pushed him back away from her with her body. “Cut it out before folks start talking,” she whispered, looking around at the workers to see if anyone had seen them.

Hershel’s mood sobered. “When are we gonna tell the young’uns? I’m tired of all this sneaking around, Babs.”

“I’ve been busy putting together this engagement party.” She’d been afraid of her daughter’s reaction to her relationship with Hershel because Michonne took her father’s death so hard, and she didn’t want to cause her any more pain.

He took that as another excuse and decided to call her on it. “Alrighty then. We’ll tell ‘em after the honeymoon.” Without uttering another word, Hershel walked away. He understood her hesitation, but Michonne was an adult and they were long past the uncertainty of their relationship. Hiding was no longer an option for him.

“I hate it when he does that,” Barbara huffed, watching him saunter away from her with the confidence of one hundred men.

IN TOWN

The Green boys strutted down Main Street as if they owned every inch of the sidewalk their feet touched. “Here comes trouble,” Shane said, seeing Lori approaching them.

“Hey, guys!”

“Lori,” they all greeted in unison with the same lackluster tone.

“Rick, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure. What’s up?” he asked.

She looked at Shane and Daryl. “Alone.”

The last thing Rick wanted was for anyone to see him standing in the middle of town talking to Lori alone. “Whatever it is, you can say it in front of my brothers,” he said impatiently.

Lori wanted to see if she could convince him to change his mind about marrying Michonne, but there was no way she would undress her soul in front of the likes of Shane and Daryl Green. “I just wanted to congratulate you on your engagement,” she lied.

“Yeah. Well, thanks. Take care.”

The trio walked away leaving her standing all alone. “You buying that?” Daryl asked.

“Hello no. He’s not buying that. Tell me you’re not buying that,” Shane answered and questioned.

Rick shook his head. “No. She wants something.”

Daryl scoffed, “yeah…she wants you.”

“She’s good people. She didn’t deserve what I did to her, but...”

“She ain’t Chonne,” Shane interrupted.

 

On the other side of the town square at the day spa, Michonne, Sasha, Andrea, and Maggie were treated to facials, massages, manicure, and pedicures. “Michonne, your mom is so sweet for arranging this spa day for us,” Andrea stated, relishing in the head to toe pampering.

“She’s a saint,” Sasha moaned as the esthetician, Beth, applied an all-natural organic facial product to her face.

Michonne laughed at Sasha’s obvious enjoyment. “I’ll make sure I let her know how much you like it.”

“Sasha, the way you’re moaning over there makes me think you are long overdue for some thangs,” Maggie teased.

“Don’t you dare start in on me,” Sasha laughed. “I know too much about you.”

Maggie’s faced turned bright red. “Sasha!” she gasped.

“Tell the truth and shame the devil,” Sasha demanded, laughing.

“Yeah! We saw the glance you two exchanged the night of the welcome home dinner,” Andrea added.

“We’ll talk about it later,” Michonne injected quickly, noticing the spa technicians were ear hustling their conversation. Sutter was too small to have a personal conversation in public.

Shane, Rick, and Daryl walked into the spa absorbing the space with their masculine frames, “Ladies,” they said in unison, removing their cowboy hats.

“Oh gosh, I hate when ya’ll do that,” Maggie frowned at her brothers’ flirtatiousness. The other ladies laughed at them. “Ya’ll are too much,” she added shaking her head at them.

Rick’s eyes found Michonne sitting in the massage chair while one woman gave her a pedicure and another gave her a manicure. “Hey you,” he greeted, going over to her and kissing her deeply.

Michonne smiled up at him, “Hey cowboy,” she breathed after she pulled away from him. “We’ll be ready in a little while.”

Tara, the spa owner came out from her office in the back. “What can I do for you fellows?”

Daryl was standing over Sasha staring down at her “What’s that smell?” He glared at the woman rubbing the nice smelling concoction on her face wondering if he could buy some for her because he liked the smell of it on her.

“Daryl”! Please ignore him,” Sasha sighed.

In the few weeks, since they’d met, Shane and Andrea were inseparable. Every free moment they had they were together. “These three hags need all this sprucing up, but why are you doing all of this?” Shane joked.

“Shane you know what?” Michonne snapped, squinting at him and giving him her middle finger.

Tara walked over to Shane and looked at his face closely. “You know, I have the perfect thing for those wrinkles coming in around your eyes.” She was joking with him but her face remained serious.

Shane dropped his Stetson hat ran over to the nearest mirror and studied his face. “If you weren’t a female,” he started.

“I’d have nutts,” Tara said cutting him off and everyone laughed.

At the Party

Most of Sutter was either attending the engagement party or working it. Michonne and Rick received their guests as they arrived and graciously thanked them for joining their families in celebrating their engagement. Neither wanted the fanfare their parents were putting on for them, but they wouldn’t rob them of the experience.

Hershel and Barbara held each other on the dance floor swaying to the song There You Are by Martina McBride gazing into each other’s eyes. Guests were nodding in their direction and even their children took note. “Are ya’ll seeing this?” Shane asked, joining Michonne and Rick who were standing near the veranda.

“What’s going on there?” Michonne scowled. The last man she saw her mother look at like that was her father. Her stomach dropped at the thought of her momma moving on. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, fighting the sadness that was threatening to take her over.

Rick pulled her into his arms turning her away from the dance floor. “It’s nothing,” he said hoping he wasn’t lying to her.

Moments later Hershel’s voice replaced the music. “We’re going to make this quick so you good folks can get back to the festivities. Babs and I want to personally thank you all for coming out and wishing these lovebirds well in this next chapter of their lives. Rick, Michonne, we love you and as soon as you say I do we want grandbabies. A lot of ‘em.”

Barbara took the microphone when Hershel offered it to her. “Correction, we can wait on making me a grandmother.” Everyone laughed. She held up the Champaign flute in her hand. “We honor Rick and Michonne with our love and unwavering support. What the two of you have is patient. It is not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude. It is sacrificial, easygoing, supportive, honest and true. Your love has gone through a lot, but you believed and hoped in it. May your love continue to endure and never end.”

“HERE HERE!” resonated through the air.

Shane choked back tears and pulled his brother and his future sister into his arms. “I love ya’ll!” Before they knew anything, Daryl, Sasha, Maggie, and Andrea were all somehow showering the couple with hugs. “Get the hell off me.” Shane’s snapped.

A few weeks later

Carol sat quietly and sipped her tea after dialing Michonne’s number. “Hello.”

“Michonne, how are you love?” Carol greeted.

Immediately recognizing the super syrupy voice that held not even a hint of sincerity, Michonne cringed. She was not about to play any silly cat and mouse games with the woman. “Carol. How can I help you?”

“Our friend has put together a proposal. A very lucrative proposal.”

“Look, my life has taken an unexpected turn and I’m home to stay.”

“If you’d just look at the proposal… I’m sure you’ll find it will accommodate every concession you can possibly think of asking for. Do you have a fax number?” Michonne didn’t attempt to hide her annoyance as she sighed before providing her their fax number. “Great. I’ll send this right over to you, and I’m sure I’ll be hearing from you shortly.” Carol disconnected the call.

Rick studied Michonne during her phone call and became concerned at how her demeanor had changed. “Is everything alright?” he inquired taking a sip of his beer. They’d spent most of the morning working on their guest list for their wedding and had decided to go into town for lunch at the Buena Loco Mexican restaurant because Michonne had missed their table-side homemade guacamole while she was away.

Michonne bit down on her bottom lip struggling with whether she should mention anything to Rick when she didn’t know what was going on herself. She decided it was best to let him know because she didn’t want to start their life together with any secrets. “That was my former employer… well, his assistant. Apparently, they want me to return to work and is faxing over an offer.”

A scowl instantly covered Rick’s face. “Why didn’t you just tell them you were getting married and ain’t interested?” A thought occurred to him, and he sat back in his chair and glared at her. “Are you changing your mind? You wanna go back to Europe?”

“Rick! No! I’m where I want to be. You don’t know Carol. Had I tried to decline over the phone, we’d still be talking. I gave her the fax number to get her off the phone. I’m going to look at the offer, but if I can’t work from here, it’s an automatic no.”

Although it was a rare occurrence, he knew when Michonne was lying, but he didn’t see a shred of deceit in her eyes. “Okay then.” Unbeknownst to him she released the breath she’d been holding. “You know you never told me exactly what you did over there.”

It was Michonne’s turn to sit back in her seat. She sipped her water. “Rick, I told you. I managed a private art collection.”

“What do you think this offer is about?” he questioned.

Michonne shook her head, “I honestly have no idea. My former employer is a bit eccentric with virtually unlimited means. I wouldn’t be surprised if the offer would allow me to work from here.”

“If it does, you should take it.”

She liked how supportive Rick could be when he wasn’t feeling threatened. When threatened he was a different man, but still the man she loved no matter what. “Thank you, my king,” Michonne quipped.

“Chonne, that’s your highness.”

Squinting her eyes at him, Michonne balled up her cloth napkin and tossed it at him. “Ass hole.”

“I’m your ass hole,” he laughed.

At another table in the restaurant, a man sat alone discreetly watching the couple. He sat so that he could take pictures of them with his smartphone. He sent every photo to the person who hired him to find out as much as he could about Rick Green.


	5. Truth or Dare

Chapter 5  
Michonne sat behind the desk her mother had custom built for her father with a glass of bourbon in her hand glaring at the papers sitting before her. She leaned back in the high back leather chair and nervously swiveled from side to side contemplating the last two years of her life.   
When she had left Sutter, her heart was shattered. Rick had high-handedly decided they should break up so she could experience life. Not once had he considered joining her or trying to make their relationship work from two continents. It was as if what they shared meant nothing to him, and he easily discarded her.  
It had not been 3 months before she received word of his carousing with different women and the possibility that he even fathered a child with one of them. At the time, Michonne believed Rick insisting she go to Europe was just so he could party even though he had told her it was because he did not want her to have regrets for not going.  
Two Years Before  
“Chonne, are you okay?” Sasha asked, seeing the pain that was evident on her friend’s face.  
Michonne’s hand shook uncontrollably, and she succumbed to her emotions. The taste of rage and heartache threatened to choke her if she did not get control of herself. “Sasha, I have to go.” Without waiting for a response, she logged off their web chat. The tears poured from her soul. They had been everything to each other, and to hear that Rick had moved on from what they shared broke something inside of her that she did not think anyone could ever reach again.  
Hearing the door to her flat open, Michonne quickly wiped at her tears hoping to hide the torment she was experiencing. “Miche, my brother agreed to meet with you tonight. You owe me for this. I hate that pig. If it…” Andrea walked into the flat and around the couch to find her roommate rubbing her fingers under her eyes swiping at her tears. “What’s wrong?” she asked rushing to her friend’s side.  
Shaking her head, Michonne tried to dismiss her friend’s concern. “I’m fine. Just homesick,” she lied.  
Andrea and Michonne had become fast friends when they met at a private art show. They spent the evening with some of the wealthiest art collectors in Europe who they both agreed had poor taste in clothes and were some form of pod people who shared the same arrogant personality and brain. Refusing to allow Michonne to decline, Andrea ushered her new friend to a nearby club so they could get away from the old horny goats who there at the party. After that, the two young American women spent time together exploring different parts of Europe, shopping, and partying, which eventually led to them becoming roommates.  
“You’re not fine,” Andrea countered surveying the area for clues as to what could have upset her friend. “What happened?”  
“Sasha, my friend back home, and I were just on a web chat. She told me Rick is screwing half of the women in our home town and may be a daddy.”  
“You know the best way to get over an ex is with a new ex,” Andrea said, putting an arm around her friend, hoping to lighten her mood.  
Michonne shook her head at Andrea, “something is seriously not right with you,” she laughed through her tears.  
Andrea smiled and sighed, “this is true.”  
“What am I going to do?” Michonne asked and her tears began to flow again.  
“You’re going to keep moving forward. If he let you go, it just shows how stupid he is, and it is better you find out now rather than after he had you barefoot and pregnant and stuck in a small town being the dutiful southern belle wife.”  
Considering Andrea’s words for a moment, Michonne nodded and pushed up off the couch. “You’re right,” she replied half-heartedly. Sutter was home. She had been fortunate enough to travel all over the world with her parents as a kid during her summers, but there was nothing like the small town where the only thing you feared were your parents and the town gossip. Yes, Sutter was home. Rick was there and he was home to her too. “I think I’m going to lie down for a bit.”  
Andrea shot up to her feet. “Oh you can’t!” she exclaimed. “My brother agreed to meet with you tonight. He wants to see if you know your stuff, so you have to accompany him to an auction tonight.”  
Michonne frowned and shifted gears. She had begged Andrea to introduce her to her brother in hopes of seeing his private art collection. “WHAT!” She hurried towards her bedroom. “What time do I need to be ready?”  
“His driver will be here in an hour,” Andrea mumble, bracing for Michonne’s tirade.  
Stopping in her tracks, Michonne turned around to face her friend. “Andie! Why didn’t you call ahead?”  
“I…umm… that’s a good question. But I’m thinking it’s best if my attention is focused on helping you pick out something to wear.”  
“Something is seriously wrong with you,” Michonne spat.  
Michonne loved the small Italian villages. She often mused to herself that she could feel the passion the in the air whenever she and Andrea would visit. Tonight the pain of Rick’s whoring ways was preventing the heartbroken young woman from enjoying the beauty of her surroundings. The driver skillfully maneuvered the dark tinted SUV to the door of a villa. By the look of what she could see under the cover of darkness, the auction sat nestled on top of a hill overlooking a vineyard.  
The driver pulled the car to a stop, and a valet opened the door and escorted Michonne out of the vehicle and into the opulent home. Her breath hitched when she caught a glance of one of the most handsome men she had ever seen other than Rick. He was taller and older. Where Rick was all cowboy and rugged sexy the man who had now locked his eyes with hers was debonair sexy. He lifted his champagne flute to her and headed towards Michonne. Was he gliding, she asked herself seeing how smoothly he moved?  
She continued to watch him stopping only to pluck another flute from a tray as a server passed. Once he reached her, she stared up at him frustrated with how his presence robbed her of her ability to speak. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on,” he leaned down and whispered in her ear in Italian, handing her the glass of champagne. “I’m Negan, Andrea’s brother. You come highly recommended,” he added his eyes commanding her rich innocent brown eyes remain in their heated stare.

Today  
“What’s up with the bat call?” Andrea joked. She sauntered into the study to find a glaring Michonne behind her father’s elaborate desk. Knowing that look, she stopped mid stride. “What happened?”  
“Did you know, Andie?”  
Andrea scowled, “know what?”  
Michonne finished her drink in a single quaff. The aged liquor burned as it made its way down her dry throat. Slamming the glass down, she slid the faxed papers towards her friend. “You got something you wanna tell me?”  
Not taking her eyes off Michonne until she picked up the documents, Andrea skimmed over the pages. “Oh, crap.” She looked up and understood the other woman’s demeanor. “Miche, I had no idea. You know I haven’t had anything to do with him since…” her words faltered not wanting to throw the pain of the recent past in Michonne’s face. What are you going to do?”  
“I’ve been lying to everyone. If the truth comes out, Rick is going to lose his mind.”  
“He loves you. Talk to him.”  
“I don’t know, Andie. Maybe it’s just easier to do what he wants.”  
Andrea leaned over the desk a desperate look on her face, “are you crazy?” she practically yelled. “I won’t let you. I swear, if you do, I’ll tell Rick myself.”  
Michonne gasped at the threat. “You wouldn’t?” she choked on her emotions.  
“Miche, you’re more family to me than he ever has been. I love you, and I will tell Rick everything if it keeps you from making the biggest mistake of your life.” The decanter sitting on the desk shook as Michonne lifted it to pour another drink. “Don’t.” Andrea snapped grasping her hand and taking the glass away from her, knowing she needed to keep a level head.  
Succumbing to her emotions, the distraught young woman sobbed, and her friend rushed around the desk and held her in her comforting arms not knowing how to fix this situation for her.

Shiloh Inn  
Herschel sat on the bed waiting for Barbara to emerge from the bathroom. Since Michonne had returned home, Barbara insisted their private time together be spent two towns away from Sutter. Herschel, fed up with the situation, had been pondering whether he should take it upon himself to talk to Michonne, but he knew his love would rip him to shreds if he did.  
All disdain for their clandestine meetings vanished, when the bathroom door opened, Herschel’s breath hitched for a moment. He always had that reaction to Barbara even before they became a couple. His throat immediately went dry seeing her standing in the doorway wearing a silk nightgown that hugged her curves. How in the hell did she maintain her figure after all of these years? He had never known her to workout except when she was screaming his name. “How in the hell did I get you?”  
“It was the cowboy hat,” she mused elegantly walking over to the bed, stopping before him. “I’ve always thought you were the most handsome man I’ve ever seen…especially when you’re all hot and sweaty after working the ranch.”  
Before either of them married, they had a brief fling, but times were different back then and Herschel loved her too much to put her through the pain of being ostracized by her family, so he let her go. When Rick fell in love with Michonne, he vowed he would move heaven and hell to make sure they knew they were loved and supported. Barbara straddled his lap tossing her loose curls out of her face with a slight sway of her head. Having her body positioned on him in such a manner drove Herschel insane, and before she knew what was happening he had stripped her of the flimsy garment and him of his clothes.  
A few hours later Barbara rested in the crook of Herschel’s arm gently gliding her hand across his chest. “We should be getting back,” she whispered.  
“No, darling. I miss waking up with you in my arms.”  
“The kids…”  
“Are adults,” he interrupted her. “Knowing them, they’ll welcome our absence. Now take a nap. You’re gonna need it,” he teased kissing her on top of her head.

Shane looked at Andrea in disbelief and then at Michonne, He had known Michonne her entire life, and she was not a liar, but she had lied to them all. When Andrea called begging for his help, he never expected it was to convince Michonne to talk to Rick about anything remotely to what they had shared with him.  
In her many tales about their childhood, Shane had always been the one to fix everything for them all. He was their anchor, and Andrea hoped he could come through for them again, so he was the first person she thought to call for help.  
Seeing Michonne, who he loved like a sister broken, enraged him. He could only imagine how his brother would react to what she had gone through. “What do you think?” Andrea asked expectantly.  
He gawked at her. His expression clearly conveying his words, “what the hell am I supposed to think?” He realized the harshness in his tone by the way Michonne bristled. He looked at Andrea, “this douche bag is your brother?” Shamefully she nodded her response. “Just so you know I’ll kill him before I let him near her or my brother. Are we clear?”  
“Crystal,” Andrea replied. She knew her brother was ruthless but what he had done to Michonne went beyond his illegal business deals. It was heinous and she could not blame any of them for what they said or did to him.  
Shane walked over to where Michonne sat on the couch and kneeled. He took her hands in his and kissed them before looking up into her frightened eyes. “Chonne, I need you to get it together. If Rick sees you like this, he’ll lose his shit for sure and a pissed off Rick will only make things worse. You know this.” She nodded biting her lower lip to push back another round of sobs. “You trust me?” she nodded again. “Ole’ Shane has always taken care of things, right?” Another nod. “I’ll take care of everything. You and the girls keep working on the wedding. Okay?”  
Michonne wrapped her arms around Shane’s neck. “Thank you.”  
“That better be a sibling like hug,” Rick joked walking into the room. “Or so help me, Shane, I ship your balls to Indonesia.”  
Shane stood and looked down at Michonne trailing his finger down her nose. “Nope, I was trying to talk your wife to be into a threesome with this beautiful gal, but she won’t go for it. She’s telling lies that you’re more man than she can handle.”  
“Asshole,” Rick laughed sitting next to Michonne noticing her swollen eyes. “You alright?” he narrowed his eyes on her.  
Michonne sniffled. “Allergies.” Another lie, she thought.  
Rick scowled, “I’ve never known you to have allergies.”  
Andrea grabbed Shane’s hand to lead him out of the room. “Probably this idiot’s cheap cologne,” she joked.


End file.
